Age Makes No Difference
by Gauy
Summary: Another Relm/Gau story. Need your opinion. Should Strago forgive Relm? Need opinions...
1. The Depressed WildBoy

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Age Makes No Difference

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**Chapter 1: The Despressed Wild-Boy**

Gau woke up to another bright and sunny day, the third one in a row. It was the day he turned nineteen. Today should have been a happy day for him, but it wasn't. It was his birthday! He should've been happy. However, this was just a day of gloom and depression. He felt that now he was nineteen, the lady he cared so much about seemed so much younger, too young for him. After all, she was only fifteen and he was an adult. It was bad enough when he was eighteen. Strago often complained that they spent more time together than he thought was appropriate. 

_The funny thing is that she never mentioned it to me. I wonder why,_ Gau thought to himself as he remembered the time he overheard one of the conversations from a few months ago. 

_Gau walked down the stairs to see what was taking Relm so long. She was supposed to have gone to get something to drink for them. About halfway down, he heard Strago's voice in a raised tone. It was unusual to hear it like this, but thinking it was none of his business and wasn't much of an eavesdropper, he decided to go back to the room. When he was halfway back to the room, he heard his name. He then decided that maybe he should listen. _

"Gau is a whole lot older than you. I hear many of the townspeople speaking about you two spending so much time together. Even some of my friends have spoke to me about it. I think it would be best if you two spent less time together. Gau **is** an adult now. He should be out looking for girls his own age and getting a job, not spending time with a child." 

"I am NOT a child! I AM fifteen years old!" Relm screamed at Strago. "I can make my own decisions on who I spend my time with. And Gau is old enough to do the same. We are just friends, nothing else. That's all we are and always will be. You can't change it." 

After hearing what Relm had said, he felt saddened, but he continued listening. 

"I've noticed things when I pass by your room or when I knock to come in. It sounds like a bunch or scurrying ants in there, like you have something to hide. It's making me nervous and suspicious that there's more than you're telling me. If this keeps up, I may be forced to separate both of you," Strago explained. 

"You CANNOT do that. He's my best friend and he's the ONLY friend that I can trust to talk to about anything. If you took him away from me, I'd be lost. I'd have nothing left to brighten up these dull days," Relm said, getting upset. She paused long enough to catch her breath and calm down. "It'd be like taking the sunshine away from the grass. We wouldn't have much of a world left, would we?" 

"I didn't say that I was gonna separate you for good. I meant that if this keeps up, I may have to take some action." 

"ARGH! There's no getting through your head, old man. We are just friends! When are you gonna understand it?" Relm yelled at Strago before storming off into the kitchen to get the drinks. 

In the meantime, Gau went back into the room to wait Relm's return. 

"After she came back, she had on her usual smile and I soon forgot about the incident. It's amazing how she hid stuff like that with her smile," Gau said to himself. 

Gau looked out the window of his room. It seemed all bright and cheery. The day was pretty much the opposite of how he felt today. He watched as a few kids decided to come out onto the Veldt to play. They seemed to enjoy the sun. All he hoped was that they were aware that there was an occasional monster roaming around. 

He looked up at the blue sky. It somehow reminded him of Relm. Maybe it was her eyes, maybe it wasn't. He then pictured her smile in his mind. Her beautiful smile. It was a smile that was even too good for a goddess. Her smile could brighten anyone's mood. Well, maybe not his at the moment. 

"Guess I should get a start on my day," Gau said as he headed for the kitchen. 

_Can't let the small detail of being nineteen get me depressed. There are plenty of other things besides being closer to Relm that I want to do, like learning more about designing buildings. Anyway, we are really good friends. That's all that really matters. It don't seem like she is interested anyway so what's the use worrying about it,_ Gau thought as he was deciding what to get for breakfast before starting his morning training workout. 

The day passed slowly as he thought about his birthday, Relm, and that argument. He tried to concentrate more on happier things. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't work so well. Eventually it'd go back to Relm again, just to have his thoughts start over again. 

At supper, Sabin noticed his roommate in a blue mood. "Is there anything wrong, little buddy?" 

"Just hasn't been a good day. Mostly because I'm nineteen now and I feel old," Gau explained. 

"It's your birthday?! Heh, I totally forgot about it. So sorry. Well, happy birthday, Gau. A little late, but it's the thought that counts." 

"No need to be sorry. I don't care 'bout this birthday. I would've preferred that it didn't come." 

"You wanna talk about it?" a concerned Sabin asked. 

"Nah. It's nothing much. It'll pass. I'm gonna go to my room," Gau said, getting up from his half-eaten supper. 

"Um ... OK. I'm here if you do wanna talk," Sabin managed to say before Gau disappeared. 

~ * ~

"Come on, Gau. We're going out," Sabin insisted. 

It was a couple hours later and Gau wasn't in the mood to go anywhere. "No, Sabin. I don't feel like going anywhere." 

"You are coming, whether you like it or not. The air will help you feel better. I wonder what's bothering you, but if you don't wanna talk about it, that's OK." Sabin took Gau's hand and pulled him up into somewhat of a standing position. "Come on now, or I'll pick you up and carry you out." 

Gau, not in the mood to struggle, decided it'd be better if he walked himself and followed Sabin in the cool evening air for what seemed like a long walk. Eventually they came upon Garbonzia, a new city that had grew originally from a bunch of _bodybuilders_ wanting to live on the Veldt. Now there are a wide variety of people, businesses, schools, events, and such for the growing population. 

Sabin and Gau didn't want to live in the crowded area and eventually moved out three years before. Sabin now lived close to the Veldt Cave, several miles away from Garbonzia, but Gau didn't want to pursue the intense training that Sabin was concentrating on. He wanted to do his schooling so he could learn to be an architect and get a good job. Therefore, he moved into a small house near Thamasa a few months later. It was about the same size as Sabin's. It had two small bedrooms, a kitchen, and a den with some comfortable furniture to lie around on. 

Sabin had convinced Edgar to build it, noting that once Gau gets a good job, he can get a good deal on getting some new additions designed for the castle in the future. That's where he would be now, but he didn't want to completely abandon the hard training he put in over the years. So, he returned to the Veldt every now and then for a week at a time to catch up on his training. 

"What are we doing here?" Gau asked, suspiciously. 

"Oh, I forgot to tell you. I had to come in to get some supplies and I need to drop into a friend's before I leave," Sabin explained. 

"Oh, I see," Gau said. 

Sabin went to the weapon shop to check on the new claw that he had ordered. It turned out that it wouldn't be in for another week. Next, he went to the item store to pick up some elixirs for his full days out. Then they went to get some groceries. Gau didn't pay much attention to what he got, but he did see some sweets. Gau put it out of his mind, thinking Sabin had a sweet tooth or just wanted a lot of sugar to give him plenty of energy. 

"OK, I'm finally done. Just got to drop in on a friend and then we're off back to the house for the night. How are you feeling now?" 

"Still pretty much the same. I don't think it's gonna work." 

"Oh well. I tried," Sabin grinned. 

They walked for several minutes until Sabin stopped in front of a modest little house. It didn't seem like there was anyone home, but Sabin walked in around a corner to knock on the door anyway. About a minute later, Sabin came out with a little frown on his face. "He's gone to a party over on Dale Street. Come on, let's go," Sabin said, getting excited. 

Sabin ran to the building where he said that his friend would be and practically dragged Gau behind him. Suddenly, Sabin stopped again and Gau ran into Sabin's back. "Oof!" Sabin said, getting hit from behind. 

"You should've told me you were stopping," Gau said as he rubbed his head. 

"Come on, we'll go in together," Sabin said, dragging Gau into the building. To Gau, it seemed too quiet. Something wasn't right. 


	2. A Surprise

**Chapter 2: A Surprise**

Inside, all was dark. It didn't seem like any party to him. Just an empty building. Something definitely was not right. "I'm just gonna look around. Maybe we are in the wrong room. Come on, just in case there's trouble." 

As they went around the corner, lights came on everywhere. "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!" a bunch of people yelled out, surprising Gau. 

"I should've expected this!" Gau said, trying to act happy, but not feeling it inside. The surprise just made it worse. He knew he was gonna have a very bad night. 

Everyone started getting up and going around, most meeting with Gau to personally wish him a happy birthday. 

"Hey, Gau. You're nineteen now. I think it's time I showed you a few tips about getting women," Edgar said, nudging his arm. 

"Um, no thanks, Edgar," Gau said, refusing politely. 

Locke laughed and then said, "Gau, if you do listen to his advice, make sure you DON'T follow it. It's the best way to go." Edgar put on a angry face and stared at Locke, but quickly got over and went to get some punch. 

Gau thanked him for the advice and then turned to leave, but ran into Strago, almost killing him. 

"Oh, so sorry Strago. I didn't see you there. Are you alright?" Gau asked, very concerned for the old man. 

"I think so. I may have a small bruise, but it's nothing this old body can't handle. I just wanted to wish you a happy birthday. You're nineteen, right? Wow, you grew up so fast. You should really go get a girlfriend. Life will pass you by quickly if you don't pay attention," Strago said, offering some advice to the now grown-up wild boy. 

"As I have noticed. I only recently realized how much time has passed. I'll have to pay more attention from now on," Gau said, thinking of Relm and Strago's advice. Gau knew Strago was only acting nice. He knew Strago didn't want him to be around Relm too much. "Whew! It's getting hot in here. If anyone asks, tell 'em I'll be back in a minute. OK?" Without waiting for an answer, he left to find a door leading outside. 

While searching, several times, he was greeted with several happy birthdays. After a few minutes of conversation, Gau politely excused himself. 

Gau finished searching around the room twice before deciding to search a hallway with a cool draft coming from it. Thankfully, it eventually led to the outside. Gau sucked in the cool air through his nostrils. "Ah, I never thought I'd breathe such cool air again," Gau said to himself, relieved that he's away from the crowd and the heat. 

While looking up at the dark sky, Gau suddenly remembered a memory that he had long forgotten. It was just after Relm's fourteenth birthday about a year and a half ago. 

_"Come on, please?" Relm pleaded with Gau. _

"Relm, this not something that friends do. You are sure?" Gau said, making sure she did. Deep down, he wanted to also, but was too shy to admit it. His English wasn't perfect yet though. He was still working on it. 

"Yes, I'm sure. Otherwise I wouldn't be asking you," Relm said, a little impatient. "I'd rather do it with someone I know first. That way I can practice." 

"OK. I guess we try," Gau said nervously. He had never done it before and didn't think it would happen with his best friend. He worried that it would go wrong and somehow disappoint her. He always hated disappointing her. He only wanted to see smiles on her face. 

"Are you ready?" 

"Ready as I'll ever be." They both took a deep breath and their faces started getting closer to one another. When their lips were just an inch apart, Gau could feel her slight breath on his chin. They stayed like that for a minute and then their lips touched. First, ever so softly and then bit more firm. Within a few seconds, they were holding each other and they were enjoying their first kiss. 

Out of breath, they separated. "Do you think it was OK?" Relm asked, not showing any embarrassment. 

Gau, however, couldn't hold it in and turned a bright red. "I guess so. I not see anything wrong with it. I'm sure any guy you kiss that like will not say anything bad about it," Gau complimented. It was the only kiss that he had ever had so he had nothing to compare it to. Nevertheless, he didn't think it could get much better. It had been a first kiss for the both of them, whether they considered it one or not. 

They _practiced_ kissing with each other several times over the next couple of months. They grew better at it and eventually decided that they knew how to kiss well enough and then stopped. After they stopped, Gau missed those lips, but would not dare mention it to Relm for fear that she didn't feel the same. He didn't want to lose his best friend over a simple thing as a kiss. 

Eventually, he came to realize that he felt something for Relm. Another six months passed and then he finally admitted it to himself that he loved her. He would never be able to tell Relm this. She might not like the idea of him having deeper feelings for her. He wouldn't want her to be uncomfortable. 

A pair of soft hands were put over his eyes. "Oh no, oh no!" Gau cried out. "It's the Grim Reaper's wife coming take me away and use me for evil purposes." 

An evil laugh came from behind him. "Heh, heh, heh," a voice said as Gau turned around to see Relm. "I'm gonna take you away to the Lair of Death." Relm tried to make an evil laugh, but the pitch of her voice made it seem more funny than anything. 

"Ack! I don't wanna die yet!" Gau screamed and playfully hit Relm. They laughed and then Gau asked, "What brings you out here?" 

"Well, I decided to follow you. You left your party behind. Any reason for that?" Relm asked, curiously. 

"Um, the heat in there would've killed me if I didn't leave," Gau explained, not exactly lying. 

"Oh yeah," Relm said. "Now that you mention it, it _is_ hot in there. I can't see how the rest can stand it." 

Relm stood beside Gau continued looking up at the sky. She looked up too, wondering what he was looking at. Seeing nothing of interest, she asked him. 

"Uh, oh nothing. I just wanted to see if I could pick out the stars." Gau knew that it wasn't the reason he was looking up, but the thought of attempting to find stars seemed to help his mood. 

"So, how are you, Gau?" 

"Pretty good. I don't think I could be any better if I tried." 

"Are you sure?" 

"Yeah. Right now, everything is pretty much OK." Gau wished he could believe those words, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't. He guessed he'd have to suffer until it passed. 

"I don't think so, Gau. I saw the way you were in there. You seemed, um, preoccupied. And you didn't seem any bit happy about the surprise. Usually, you'd be laughing and shocked, but you hardly said a thing. Gau, I know you better than you think. I can see behind that fake smile," Relm said, determined to get what was on his mind out of him. 

"Huh? I'm happy! See?" Gau said, putting on the realest fake smile he could muster. 

"No, you're not. There's something bothering you. Care to tell me about it?" Relm asked, concerned. 

"Ah, it's nothing," Gau said, finally admitting that something was wrong. "I don't need to talk about it. It just hasn't been a good day for me." 

"I see. You do know that I'm here whenever you wanna talk about something, right?" Relm asked. 

"Yeah, I know. You've been there before and I know you're still there. But, for this, I think I can handle it on my own," Gau reassured her. 

"If you say so, but I am here if you ever need anything." 

"I know and I appreciate it very much. Thank you," Gau said as he hugged her. When they separated from the hug, Gau noticed Relm was smiling. Her smile immediately cheered him up. He put his thoughts deep inside him so it wouldn't ruin their time together now that he felt happy and wanted to smile. 

"That's the Gau I know. Come on, I'm starting to get a little cold now and you have a birthday party to attend to." They both went inside. Gau actually enjoyed the party now because whenever he looked at Relm, she always had that beautiful smile on her face. He smiled back at her and she recognized it as a genuine smile. The night turned out much better than he had anticipated. 

After the long night, they all ended up in one of the three Inns near Dale Street. Relm and Gau ended up in the same room together. There were two single beds, but, nevertheless, they were in the same room. _If Strago knew about this, he'd probably be furious. Anyway, there were two single beds, so there wasn't anything to worry about. It's not like we didn't spend the night together before. We were in the same room when there were four beds back when they were fighting Kefka. And one time it was just us, Mog, and Umaro. Yeah, like they were gonna do anything. So what if we were younger? It still happened,_ Gau thought to himself as he laid in his bed. 

He looked over at Relm in her bed. She looked like she was asleep. To test it out, he whispered, "Good night, Relm." 

"Hmmm, good night, Gau," she said in a low voice and then turned towards him. She still had on that beautiful smile. It made Gau blush and he soon fell asleep to have fantasies of them together. 

The next morning, Setzer gathered up the others to bring them back now that the party was over with. Relm was talking to Gau, saying her last goodbyes before she got on. Setzer started getting a little impatient. "Come on, Relm. We're leaving." 

"In a minute, Setzer," she yelled back at Setzer. Turning back to Gau, she put on her warm smile. "I'm gonna miss you. You're coming back soon, right? It's getting so lonely with out you. I miss you." She hugged Gau, making him blush with her words and the hug. 

"Yeah, I've got two more days left and then I'm going to be finished. I'll be coming back then and you'll be the first that I come to see when I get home. OK?" Gau reassured her. 

"OK." Relm smiled, hugged him again, and left to get on the airship to go home. Gau watched the airship until it disappeared from sight. Suddenly, he felt lonely once again. Even if she didn't feel the same way, he enjoyed her company very much. 

The next days passed very slowly with Gau going in and out of depression. He felt that she should know about his feelings, yet he felt that he may lose her friendship if he told her. _What if she can't look at me in the same way, knowing that when I look at her, my eyes are full of love? ARGH! I gotta stop thinking about this. At least, for now,_ Gau thought to himself and then decided to get some _music_ as Edgar called it. When Edgar came, he brought one of new inventions for Sabin. It was a small box-like object that had Edgar's voice, singing. He said, it'll be the next best-selling item. He didn't particularly like Edgar's voice, but he did find it hilarious. While listening, he wondered if he could somehow get Relm's voice put into the box. The thought of that made him smile. 


	3. Getting Caught

**Chapter 3: Getting Caught**

Gau had just arrived to his house just outside of Thamasa. Setzer had just dropped him off and was getting ready to go again. He had a lot of mail to deliver. Gau ran into his house just long enough to throw his belongings on the floor or wherever they landed. He then ran out again and onto Thamasa to see Relm. "Lady love, um, lovely lady, um, Relm, here I come like I said," Gau called out. Fortunately no one was around to hear him. 

The entire trip took him all of three minutes. A whole lot less than the ten minutes it usually took. He wasn't even breathless when he got there. _Guess the training did pay off,_ Gau thought to himself as he stopped in front of Relm's and Strago's house. 

Gau knocked like a perfect gentleman and waited for an answer. Strago was the one to open the door. He put on a smile, but Gau knew he wasn't exactly happy to see him. "Hello, Gau. I see you made it home safely. Would you like to come in for a few minutes?" 

"Sure," Gau said, not sure what Strago said by _few minutes._ He walked into the house behind Strago. As usual, his house was super clean. Gau didn't know how an man that old could keep the entire house clean. 

At that moment, Gau was suddenly thirsty. Before going to see Relm, he went into the kitchen to get a glass of water. After gulping it down and then another, he felt satisfied. He then went upstairs. 

Gau knocked on Relm's door. He heard some shuffling around and then an annoyed voice. "Come in." 

He opened the door to see Relm with a frown. When she realized who was there, she immediately smiled. "GAU! You're back! Finally! What took you so long? And why did you knock? You know you never have to knock on my door," Relm said so quickly that Gau almost didn't understand. 

"I'm sorry for taking so long. I was thirsty when I got here so I had to get a drink. As for why I knocked, I don't know. I just felt like I should. It's weird," Gau explained. 

"Well, I'm glad that you're here. Do you know how boring this place is without you?" Relm asked. 

"Well, no. No, I don't. Guess it's because I'm never here when I leave so, I can't," Gau joked. 

"You jerk!" Relm said as she hit his shoulder. 

Gau just laughed at her remark and they hugged, the first one for what seemed like years. After they came apart, Relm lid down on her bed and Gau sat beside her. 

"So, anything much happen while I was gone?" Gau asked, remembering they had not mentioned Thamasa during the party. 

"Just a whole lot of yelling and stuff. Nothing of any importance. Just ignore what I said," Relm said, seeming to regret what she said. 

"Huh? Really? Who is it? Want me to do something about it? Teach them a lesson? Anything, you name it," Gau said, getting angry at whoever yelled at the lovely lady on the bed. 

"No need to worry about it. It's only Strago. Just Strago and his _disapproval_ of our friendship." 

"Strago yelled at you again?" Gau asked with concern. 

"You know about him yelling at me?" Relm asked, surprised. 

"Um, yeah. I overheard an argument you had with him," Gau admitted. 

"You did? That was a private conversa -" Relm yelled at Gau. 

Gau cut her off by hugging into her then he explained himself. "I'm sorry for eavesdropping, but I was going downstairs and then I heard my name. I thought I should listen and I still think I should know." 

"Lately, hs has been wanting to argue with me. But, you don't have to worry about that. Let's just do something else," Relm said, trying to avoid discussing the arguments. 

"If it has something to do with me, I want to know," Gau said. "Please explain what it's all about." 

"Well, Strago thinks we are spending too much time together. Just because you're nineteen and I'm fifteen, he thinks that we are closer than just friends. He thinks that we'll make love or something," Relm said as she laughed at that last thought. "Of course, we're just friends, right?" 

"Yeah," Gau laughed. He wanted to admit it to her, but it seemed like she didn't feel the same way. She may not hate him for it, but she may feel uncomfortable around him, knowing what is in his mind. 

"Is there anything wrong?" Relm asked Gau, noticing a slight frown on his face. 

"Uh ... no. Not at all. Just thinking," Gau said, putting on a smile. 

"Are you sure? I think I see a fake smile" Relm said. 

"No you don't. I'm happy. Really," Gau said with a laugh, trying to shake away the gloom. 

"If you say so. I'm there if you ever -" Relm said, but was interrupted by a knock at the door. 

"Relm?" Strago called out. 

"Yes?" Relm said, annoyed by the interruption. 

"I have to go out. I'll be back in a couple of hours. OK? And Gau, you have to leave soon. Don't forget." 

"Sure, Gramps." 

"I guess," Gau said. 

They listened to Strago go downstairs, open the door, and shut it before continuing the conversation. 

"As I was saying, I'm here if you ever need me. You can tell me whatever you want," Relm said. 

"I know. I appreciate it," Gau said, smiling. Suddenly, he noticed his throat was dry. "Um, I'm a little thirsty. I need another drink. See you in a minute." 

"Gau, you're the guest. I'll go get you a drink," Relm smiled, making Gau smile too. 

"OK," Gau said as she went out the door. 

Gau sat on the bed waiting for Relm to come back with a drink. He started looking around at the walls with several of her best paintings on it. He got up to study some of them closely. "Relm, you do such a good job on your work," Gau said, even though he knew Relm wasn't in the room. 

As he turned towards the bed, he caught a glimpse of something under Relm's pillow. It appeared to be a sketchbook. He wondered if she had some other works in the process. He took the slightly worn sketchbook from under the pillow. It was already opened to an unfinished picture of ... _Me?_ Gau thought. The picture itself was half-finished. It had Gau's head and body. Apparently, he was shirtless in the picture. He wondered what the picture was gonna look like when it was finished. 

Gau decided to look at the other pictures in the book. He turned to the first picture of maybe about twenty pictures. It was a scenery of an ocean. There were a variety of birds flying around and a pod of whales in the distance. Off to the side were two people sitting on a cliff overlooking the view. He couldn't pick out who they were though. 

Gau turned the page and got a surprise. It was a picture of both of them. They were holding each other, kissing. He checked the date that Relm put on most of works. _Over a year ago?!_ Gau thought to himself confused. It was drawn about a month after they had stopped kissing. _Does she still want to? Does she fantasize about it?_ Gau was confused. 

Gau turned the next page for another shock. It was a sketch of both of them holding each other. He was kissing Relm's neck while their hands were up the other's shirt. The date was only a few months ago. _Can she really feel this way? Maybe it's just inspiration for something else. Maybe it's not even really them, just two people who happen to look like them._

Confused, Gau turned to the next page. This one was more of a shocker than the other two. He was looking at both of them, or the two who seem to look like them, in bed cuddled into each other. They were both covered by blankets so there was no details of their bodies. It seemed they were both nude, or at least shirtless, as he could see bare shoulders. The date on this one was just over a month before he left to go to the Veldt. _This is getting weird. Maybe I should ask her. Yeah, that'd be best._

"Gau, I'm back," Relm said as she came into the room. She noticed that Gau had her sketchbook in his hands. Her smile quickly disappeared. "What are you doing?" 


	4. The Truth Comes Out

**Chapter 4: The Truth Comes Out**

"Um, I ... I'm sorry." Gau didn't know what to say. He realized now that those pictures were private. Whether she really felt that way or it might've been a common fantasy was her business. However, if she really loved or even had a crush on him, it would be nice if he knew about it. 

"You're looking in my private sketchbook. I didn't say you could look in that. Actually, it wasn't even in sight for you to look at. What are _you_ doing searching around _MY_ room? You have _NO_ right!" Relm said, furiously. 

"Relm, I'm sorry. It was sticking out under your pillow. I was curious so I looked at it. Now I know I shouldn't have. All that stuff is your business, not mine. I just want to tell you, I like the way you draw me," Gau got up and walked towards the door. 

"You stupid jerk! How could you?! If it was under my pillow, don't you think I didn't want anyone seeing it?!" Relm shouted. 

"I didn't think -" Gau said, getting cut off. 

"That's just it, you didn't think. You nev-" Relm shouted getting cut off with a kiss. 

The kiss lasted only a few seconds, but Gau found it to be another wonderful kiss. 

They separated and stood in silence for a few minutes before Gau spoke. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that..." Gau said, apologetically. 

"What'd you do that for?" Relm asked. 

"To be honest, it's been something that I've wanted to do for awhile. Ever since we stopped _practicing,_ I've missed the feel of your lips on mine. Remember my birthday party and how you noticed that I wasn't happy?" Gau asked. 

"Yeah," Relm answered. 

"Well, during my stay on the Veldt, I was thinking a lot about you. I was depressed when I woke up on my birthday. It was a day that made me feel old. It didn't help when I thought about your argument with Strago that I overheard. It really hurt when I heard you say that we would never be anything more than friends," Gau explained. 

"I'm sorry if that hurt you. I didn't know what else to say to him. I especially didn't want him to try to keep you away from me," Relm told Gau. 

"I see. Well, that's what was wrong with me at the party. I was lonely, it seemed. I wanted to kiss you, hold you. I wanted to have you. In my eyes, you're perfect," Gau said, smiling. 

"No, I'm not," Relm blushed. "I had no idea you felt that way. I'm just a mean, bitchy person who -" 

Gau cut her off with another kiss. "Who is soft and fragile on the inside, yet still beautiful on the outside," Gau finished. He knew her inside and out. He knew about the pain she suffered, the hurt she still has inside, the number of pieces her heart is in, and the beauty of her body on the outside. Even though she has a tough shell on the outside, it wasn't entirely hard. Otherwise, she would fall apart whenever she cracked a smile. 

"Gau," Relm said, blushing again. "You know me too well. I guess that's what happens when people spend a lot of time together." 

Relm took the initiative of kissing Gau on the lips. It was a soft, yet passionate kiss that lasted nearly a minute. 

"There's still the problem of Strago. He's not gonna like it when he finds out about this," Relm said, remembering Strago's words. 

"Who says that he's gotta know?" Gau grinned. 

"You're bad!" Relm laughed, hitting him in the shoulder. "But, he's gonna find out sometime, either by accident or someone telling him." 

"We'll have to be sneaky, that's all." 

"Well, when my birthday comes in about five months, it won't matter then. I can move in with you. We can tell Strago as an unexpected birthday surprise, even if it's not his birthday. If he accepts us, well fine. If not, we'll still have each other." 

Gau smiled at Relm. She was just as much devious as he was. He liked that idea. Well, he preferred it if Strago accepted them being a couple, but living with Relm seemed like a really good idea. Her warm body next to his. He could hardly wait. 

With the future in mind, Gau motioned Relm to sit down on the bed. Gau sat down and Relm sat beside him after she put away her sketchbook so they could cuddle. Gau gave Relm an occasional kiss as did Relm to Gau. Eventually they lid down and fell asleep in each other's arms. 

Their private time alone was interrupted by the slamming of the door and Strago's yelling announcement that he was home. The two sat straight up in Relm's small bed. Gau immediately knew that he had to leave before Strago came upstairs. Relm looked at Gau with sad eyes. "I know. I don't want to leave either. But, I'll be back tomorrow," Gau said smiling. They shared a quick kiss as they heard Strago's feet on the stairs. After another quick smile, Gau slipped out the window. Relm watched him just to make sure he was alright. 

"Hi, Relm. Gau gone home?" Strago asked, looking around the room for any sign of him. 

"Yep. Went home not too long after you left. He was kinda tired anyway. I am too now. Actually, I was already asleep. I fell asleep when I was thinking about my future. I'll get ready for bed and go back to sleep again," Relm explained. 

"What are you planning?" Strago asked, curiously. 

"I'm not entirely sure yet. It all depends on how things turn out in the next few months." 

"I guess so," Strago said as he left the room humming an old Magi Knights tune. 

The next five months passed pretty easily. Both Relm and Gau spent a lot of time together, getting closer with every day. Slowly they became more intimate, but they both agreed that they wouldn't go too far until they were married. That would be some years down the road yet. 

They were careful not to let Strago get too suspicious about their relationship, at least not until it was time to let him know. They acted no different than before when they were out in public. They had to be careful just in case Strago had set up spies all around watching them for a slipup. They had secret locations where they could meet though. No one knew where they were and fortunately no one ever bothered to follow them. There, they could kiss, cuddle, or whatever without being interrupted by anyone. 

The scenery was absolutely beautiful with a waterfall that led into a crystal clear lake. Along the riverbank and around the lake were several patches of various types of flowers. In one corner of the lake there was a small hot spring. The spring water ran into the lake, making the water warm and especially relaxing to sit in. Surrounding the whole place was a small forest of trees. It was a sight that was out of people's eyes. 

When Strago wasn't home, they'd usually stay at Relm's house as they would have no interruptions there until Strago got home. On most days, it'd be more comfortable in Relm's room anyway as many days during the summer were rainy anyway. 


	5. Sixteen At Last

**Chapter 5: Sixteen At Last**

Quickly, Relm's birthday approached. It was the day that Relm and Gau had been anticipating for a long time, the day that they would announce the news to Strago. They hoped that the shock wouldn't give him a heart attack though. He seemed healthy, but he was getting older so he couldn't be in perfect health. It wouldn't be right if he died before he saw her finally happy. She also wanted to prove to him that Gau was just the one she needed, although she never told him that, at least not in the way they were now. 

Early that morning, Gau snuck into Relm's window. He crept over to Relm who still lay in her bed with a small smile on her face. He hoped that she was dreaming of him. Gau leaned down to her face and gave her a small kiss. "Happy birthday, beautiful," Gau whispered in Relm's ear. 

"Hmmm," she replied. "Yeah. Today's gonna be a big day." Relm reached and pulled Gau's head down to her lips for a quick, passionate kiss. 

"I should leave so you can get dressed. See ya downstairs." Gau jumped onto the window ledge and turned around so he could see his love get out of bed. 

Relm got up, unaware that Gau was still there. She let out a big yawn and went to the closet. From her closet she picked out some of her fancier clothing to put on, something she rarely ever did. Apparently, she was in a wonderful mood. She went back to the bed and laid her clothes on the bed. 

Relm, facing away from the window took off her nightshirt. Gau, not able to resist after seeing her bare back, let out a low "Woo!" Relm, topless, turned immediately to the sound and saw Gau sitting on the window ledge. She gave him a stare that could've killed him, if she had her way. Noticing she was topless, she then blushed and covered herself the best she could with her arms. 

Gau stood amazed at the sight of Relm's perfect bare body. It hadn't been the first time seeing her topless, however, each time he'd been amazed at the beauty of Relm's body as he was the first time. Her breasts were small, silky soft, and an extremely pale white from being rarely touched by light. The rest of her body was slightly more tanned, but not much. She hated showing off her body, even to Gau. She disliked her body and didn't think it was worth showing off. In addition, she very much hated low-cut clothing which showed any of her breasts. She thought this would draw too much attention to her body as it seemed most guys were only interested in breasts and bare skin. 

Gau even enjoyed seeing what he could of bare skin. This only went for Relm though. He had no interest in anyone else's. He continuously gave her compliments, hoping it would help. But, all it seemed to do was push her more into wearing less revealing clothing and being more self-conscious of her body. She always told him, "Your opinion don't count. All that matters is what I think and you can't change it." Those words always saddens him. He would give up complimenting her, but he felt that complimenting her showed that he cared. 

Gau sat there with a big grin, "Beautiful." Then he turned and jumped out the window to go knock on the front door. 

About a minute after Gau knocked on the door, Gau heard Strago coming to open it. 

The door opened to reveal a tired-looking Strago. "Gau?! What are you doing here so early?" Strago asked confused. 

"I came to wish Relm a happy birthday, of course," Gau explained. 

"Oh, yeah. Her birthday's today. I think you came too early though. I sure she's still asleep. I haven't heard any sounds in her room all morning," Strago said. 

_He's probably just saying that,_ Gau thought to himself. "I saw her in her window as I was coming here." 

Strago suddenly became suspicious. "How would you know that?" Strago asked. "Her bedroom window is on the back of the house. What would you be doing back there?" 

_Oh, shit. I forgot, I wouldn't be able to see it if I walked here,_ Gau thought. "Um, I was taking a stroll through the forest behind Thamasa this morning. It seemed like a beautiful morning for a walk and I haven't been in the forest in a while. As it would happen, I came out from behind your house and I saw Relm standing up. It seemed like she had just got up. She'll probably be down any minute now." 

"You were spying on Relm, weren't you? I knew you were a -" Strago accused, but got interrupted by Relm's door opening. 

"Good morning Gramps," Relm said happily and then her tone changed to slight anger. "Gau." 

"Relm, did you know Gau was spying on you? He was out behind the house looking in through your window. He _claimed_ to be walking through the woods, but I know what his intentions are. He's just another Peeping Edgar," Strago told Relm. 

"Don't be silly, Gramps. I saw him coming out of the woods. He's telling the truth. I waved to him, but I guess he didn't see since he didn't wave back. I know for a fact he wasn't spying on me. Anyway, no one would want to spy on me. Especially Gau. Right?" 

Gau grinned at her amazing cover-up. She seemed to be angry at him a minute ago, but it never does last. "Right," Gau agreed. _If I wanted to see her, I wouldn't need to hide._

"Well, I think it's time for breakfast," Relm announced. She turned and headed for the kitchen. 

"Happy birthday, Relm," both Strago and Gau said at the same time. 

"Thank you," Relm giggled as she opened the cupboard, looking for food. 

Relm insisted on making breakfast, another rare event. It was delicious as Relm could cook pretty good, though she wouldn't admit to it. 

The day passed quickly while Strago was gone, preparing for the surprise party that night. Gau ended up staying with Relm and _forced_ her to stay away from the party. She already knew about it though Strago denied every time. "I don't care much about the party. I already know what my best present is and I already have it," Relm said. 

"What would that be?" Gau asked. 

"You silly," Relm said, hitting him. 

"So I'm an it now?" Gau asked, knowing her reaction. 

"You know what I mean!" Relm said, attempting to hit him, but he dodged this one. "Jerk!" 

"Beautiful," Gau said as he ran from Relm's grasp. 


	6. The Party And Announcement

**Chapter 6: The Party And Announcement**

Strago was holding onto the blindfolded Relm so she wouldn't trip and hurt herself. Relm would've preferred Gau's touch though. She knew she couldn't complain unless she wanted to arouse Strago's suspicions and she didn't want to have to tell him before she was ready. "You don't have to hold me, Gramps. I'm a big girl now." 

"If you say so," Strago said as he let go. Relm was a little wobbly at first, but she soon gained balance as she adjusted to the terrain which was pretty flat. 

Gau decided to be a little annoying. "Watch out for that rock ... Don't trip in that blade of grass ... NO! Don't step there! That's chocobo do-do" He laughed at what he said, but Relm paid no attention to him. She was careful where she was walking and no blade of grass was gonna trip her up. 

"You're getting almost as bad as poor, old Gramps here, worried about the littlest of things," Relm said. 

Eventually, they arrived at their destination. Strago took off Relm's blindfold to reveal their destination. They all looked around the place they had just stopped at. It was an area near the forest behind her house. They were a bit east of General Leo's grave, just outside of town. The aroma in the air from the tress, grass, and flowers mixed in with the smell of barbecued food was beautiful. 

The food was already cooking. It couldn't have been any better unless both Gau and Relm were alone in their secret spot. She leaned over to whisper in Gau's ear. "You know something I feel like skinny dipping. Isn't that strange?" 

"You do? Really? Maybe after the party? ... You are in a strangely good mood!" Gau whispered back. 

"Come on you two, get something to eat!" Locke said, interrupting the two. "It might be gone before you know it." 

Everyone was there, even Shadow, who was over by the trees by himself. He had stayed in Kefka's Tower, but apparently fate determined that he hadn't suffered enough and, therefore, survived. He was found by a woman from Albrook who took him back to help him recuperate. He had commanded her to leave him there, but she did no such thing. Now that he's back to normal, he's gone back to being the loner that he always was. The lady hoped that they could've had a relationship, but he said that he could never go back to that kind of life. 

The food was quickly eaten. All that was left was the cake. It was a triple layer, double chocolate cake with fudge icing. It needed the three layers in order to serve all the guests. Relm told Gau that he could have the honor of cutting the cake. Gau accepted and cut off a nice size piece which he gave to Relm. 

"YUM! This is delicious. Who made this wonderful cake?" Relm exclaimed as she took a bite out of the soft and moist chocolate fantasy. She enjoyed it so much, she took another bite, one so big, it wouldn't all fit in her mouth. After, Relm managed to swallow the cake, she excused herself for making such a pig out of herself. 

Gau laughed at Relm and then decided to cut more cake for everyone else. Relm glared at Gau for a few seconds before putting on a smile that made Gau laugh inside. 

Soon, the cake was gone too. The time to make the announcement was drawing closer. Now was the time to open the presents. Strago told Relm that she _had_ to open his present first. It turned out to be a paint set. Every time a special holiday came up, Strago would always get a paint set. Gau could see that she didn't really care much for it. Of course, she did have a dozen sets in the closet already. However, she didn't want to let the old man down and put on a big coverup smile. 

Next was Locke. "Sorry, Relm. I couldn't afford any wrapping," Locke said as he took a necklace out of his pocket and gave it to Relm. It was a gold necklace with a sapphire jewel. It shined very brightly, as did Relm's face at the sight of it. 

"Thank you, Locke. I love things with my birthstone! I love it!" Relm said, giving Locke a quick hug. 

"Wow! Even better than I thought! And you're welcome," Locke said, surprised he _treasure hunted_ a necklace with her birth stone on it. No one heard him though. They were all too busy admiring the necklace. 

Cyan gave her a small sword and told her if she wanted to learn how to use it better, he could teach her personally. Sabin gave her some weights to give her body some muscles. Edgar accidentally gave her some lingerie that was meant for some woman that he had met. He ended up sending the sketchbook that he had for Relm to that woman. He hoped she liked it. He let Relm keep the lingerie. He said that someday, she would probably want to put it on for a special someone. Gau smiled at the thought of that. 

Gogo, Mog, and Umaro all got her various types of coloring supplies, due to lack of good money where they lived. Terra and Celes both made Relm a pretty red dress. She looked so excited, jumping up and down at the sight of each new present she received. Setzer had made her a model of his airship with his own hands, not the cheap imitation that they had at the auction house. 

As she was thanking Setzer, there was a _thunk_ sound a few feet away from the crowd. Gau went over and picked up a box-like gift, except it was wrapped in a black cloth. He assumed it was another gift for Relm, but from who? He gave it to Relm who carefully unwrapped the gift from the cloth. It turned out to be a photo album and an attached letter. Relm opened up the letter and read it. 

_Dear, my daughter, _

This is my gift from me to you. I hope you enjoy it. There are many pictures that you have not seen of both your mother and I. I had this album for a long time, ever since I left that day. At the time, I thought leaving was the right answer. Now I know it was not. It was just one of my many mistakes in life. Now I am doomed to life a life of torture and guilt. I do not expect you to forgive me for what I have done now or ever. I just thought that should finally learn the truth about me. If you ever do want to find me, I am sure you will even if you think you will not. I wish you all the happiness with the one you love. Sorry I could not stay for the announcement. The guilt is getting to be too much. 

Your father,   
Clyde 

"Shadow, is it really you?" Relm said in a low voice. Then she heard a _woosh_ behind her. She turned around to see nothing at all. 

"Would you rather wait?" Gau whispered in her ear. 

"No, we'll still have the announcement," Relm said to Gau as she gave him the album and letter to put away until later, letting everyone overhear. 

"Announcement? What announcement?" Strago asked confused. 

"Um, Gau and I have an announcement to make," Relm said in a clear voice, making sure everyone heard. Everyone turned towards Relm and Gau as they moved to a clear spot. 

"Well, Relm and I have been friends for several years now. Almost two years ago, I kinda accidentally fell in love with her. I didn't tell her until a few months ago, though, because I was afraid it might ruin our friendship. But, I'm sure that she feels the same way for me. You might all think she's not a very nice person, a _bitch_ maybe, but I can assure you she's not. She has been hurt over the years and it caused her to form a hard shell and an attitude to match so she couldn't be hurt so easily. If you noticed today, you might've seen an almost whole different person. The reason for that is me. I helped her open up her shell again and showed her that life is not always full of hurt and pain. I was there for her when she needed someone. And now, we want to make it official that we want to be there for each other for the rest of our lives," Gau said. 

"You're getting married?" Strago asked in confusion and surprise. "Relm, you can't do that. You're too young." 

"No, we're not getting married. At least not yet. We thought it was about time we told everybody. And if Gramps can accept it, I will probably still live in my old house. But, if he don't I may have no other choice but to move out ... and probably move in with Gau. I can't exactly afford to build a house or even to rent one. All I'm asking for is you all to accept us, please," Relm explained. 

The crowd of people, except for Strago, all nodded in agreement and some wished them happiness together. They didn't see anything wrong with them having a relationship together. After all, she was sixteen. She could make her own decisions now. 

Relm looked at Strago. Strago looked back at her. "Relm, I'm surprised. All this time you were lying to me. I still see you as a little girl and I think you're still too young to make a decision this big." 

"But, Gramps, you know who Gau is, what he's like, almost everything about him. Why would you have a problem with someone that you know pretty well. I'm sure you know that he won't hurt me deliberately," Relm said with tears in her eyes. 

"I'll think about it Relm. And then I'll let you know. OK? That's the best I can do. Just remember that I still love you. And I always will," Strago explained and then turned to go back. 

Gau looked at Relm, wiped away her tears and kissed her for the first time in public. 


End file.
